Flying-machine.



E. D. GREEN. FLYING MACHINE.

APPLIUATION FILED JAN.16,1911. I

LSCS.

Patentd June 3, 1913.

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Illinois, have invented new and useful lm-v provements in`FlyingM'achines, of which the following 'is a specification.

l This invention relates 'to tlying machines of the aeroplane type, theobject -loeing to A provide improved means tor maintaining the machinein a state of balance or equilibriuxn While in iight, whereby the dangerof toppling over when the momentum is lost, may be partially if notwholly avoided. lt

is well known that considerable momentum must he attained to enable anaeroplane to loe sustained 1n the air, and that when such momentum 1slost the machine 1s 1n llnnnnent danger of a fall.

2o vThis invention designs to :maintain the machine in perfect balance,either` While ilying in a horizontal direction or in inclined.directions, While in light and in fact when its momentum is sped'whilein the air. i

To these ends this invention consists iu an aeroplane having one or moregyroscopes or gyroscopic Wheels mounted thereon, and arranged to holdthe machine, inn balanced condition, said gyroscopie wheel or Wheelsbeing driven from the motor but capable of independent relativerotation.

1t further consists in shifting mechanism,v

operatively connected with thegyroscope forchanging the angle ofinclination ofy the planes with respect to the plane of rotation of thegyroscope, whereby the direction of movement otv the machine maj,r becontrolled 'independently of other steeringmeehanism. l The inventionJfurther. consists in the novel features oli construction, combinationsand arrangements of parts hereafter 'described and claimed. f

'In the drawings furnished herewith Figure 1 is a side elevation of anaeroplane embodying 'my invention, Fig. Q is aface View of algyroscopiel Wheel and propeller employed, Fig. 3. is a detail crosssection taken on line 3 3 Fig. 2, Fig. l is a detail vertical crosssection taken on line 4;4 Fig. 1,' Fig. 5 is a detailcross sectionthrough a `shaft and Fig. 6`is a diagrammatic view showing a pair ofgyroscopes and propellers. Referring to said drawings, an aeroplane ofordinary construction will -be seen at A, the same being illustrated,for the sake of convenience, in the form of a bi-plane havpecication ofLetters Fatent.

lot the gyroscopic Wheel hub 22.

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. Applicain illed January 16, 1911. Serial No. 602,757.

ing upper andloiver horizontal planes l0, 11, 'connected by uprights 12.If desired, steering mechanism, comprising vertical and horizontalrudders 14, 15, may he employed as usual. One or more propellers 16, areemploved for driving the machine, which propellers may he driven from asuitable `motor 17, through operative connections, as for instance, ashaft 18, upon which the propellet is keyed.

`Opeintively connected with the motor, is a gyroseo-pic Wheel 20, wiichpreferably rotates on a horizontal axis and is here shown as mountedupon the shaft 18, -and connected -thereto hy clutch mechanism, wherebyitv may revolve with the shaft 18, but he capable of revolutionindependent thereof. The clutch mechanism is shown as comprising rolls21, circumferentially. arranged around the propeller 'shaft and lying innotches 23, formed in the wall of the hearing 'aperture The notches havetapered faces 24, which Wedge the rolls against the .tace of the shaftwhen the latter is rotated in the proper direction to drive thepropeller. The Wide portions of the notches receive therol'ls andpermit` them to run freelyl hetiveen the relatively movable parts whenthe gyroscopic `Wheel revolves independently of the shaft and in thesame direction as its proper direction of movement. lt is preferable tomake the wheel 20, oit large diameter and l have shown it encircling thepropeller and comprising heavjgr rim 20a, connected to the huh by tivosets of spokes 20h.'

For effecting the tilting ('flthe whole machine with Irespect tetheplane of rotation of the gyroscope, 'the shaft 'tlrer'eotl is journaledin a longl rocking-hearing @incapable of being tilted either upward ordownward, or rather the base or plane upon which the bearing is mountedmay he tilted with respect to the axis of the shaft. To produce thisresult the'hearing 25, is 'tulcrumed upon a transverse horizontal axisat QC, a cratlle` for the simple-form shown and described.

shaft is shown as having, unusual joints 3l,

therein between ywhich joints the shaft is divided and each halfslidablysecured upon the other, so as to rotate therewith. For

instance one shaft may besquared as seen in Fig. 5, and tted in a squarehole in the other.- Obviously, many other forms of devices for changingthe angular relation of the planes with respect to the lane ofrevolution of the ,gyros'cope, maye substituted In operation, the motordrives the pro- '.peller as usual, and the machine is manipulated andcontrolled as is well known to those skilled in 'the art. Rapid rotationof down, or the propeller ceases to revolve from any cause, thegyroscopic wheel, on account of its momentum, will continue to revolveindependently of the propeller, thereby re- A sisting any effort on thepart of the machine to topple over andby changing its course of movementto a downward one, the momentum (which is usually lost when thepropeller stops) may be reacquired and the machine safely. landed byallowing it to glide down to the ground. In Fig. 26 two gyroscopes 20,and propellers 16, are illustrated graphically, which arrangement may besubstituted for the single gyroscope and propeller. In this case the tworun in opposite directions, as shown by the arrows.

I realize that various `alterations and modifications of this` deviceare possible, without departing from the spirit of my invention, and Ido not therefore desire to limit myself to the exact form ofconstruction shown and described.

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

l. In a flyingv machine, the combination lilith a body to be sustainedin the air, of a motor driven propeller, a gyroscopic wheel LOBABE-rotatively mounted on van axis coincident with the axis of saidpropeller and having 5c a rim encircling said propeller, and aunidirectional clutch mechanism coupling said f gyroscopie wheel andpropeller.

2. In a iiying machine, a propeller, a motor driven shaftsecureddirectly to said propeller, a gyroscopic wheel, rotativelymounted on said shaft, and having a rim encircling saidpropeller anduniderectional clutch mechanism directly coupling said gyroscopic Wheelto said shaft but permitting said wheel to revolve independentlythereof.

3. In a liying machine, the combination with an aeroplanefof a motor,aiexible motor shaft, a propeller rigidly mounted on said shaft, avgyroscopic wheel driven by said motor shaft but capable of independent,relative revolution. in the same direction, a bearing. supporting oneend of said motor shaftand capable of arocking movement, and acontrolling device, including mecha.

lnism for changing the angular relation between the aeroplane body andone' section of said motor shaft. n 4. In a iying machine, thecombinationwith an aeroplane, of a motor, a liiexible motor shaft, apropeller driven'thereby, a gyroscopic wheel driven by. said motor shaftbut capable of independent, relative revolution in the same direction, abearing supporting one end` of said motor shaft andb capable of arocking movement, a {ixed'support on'the aeroplane upon which saidbearing is fulcrumed, a movable support on the aeroplane secured to thefree endfof the bearing, and a controlling device for shifti ingsaidmovable support to vary the angular relation between theaeroplan'e bodyand i' vone section of said motor shaft.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto'ee` signed my name at Chicago,'Cookcounty,l Illinois, this 9th day of January, 1911.r

'EDWARD D; GREEN.,

.VVitnessesc l THos. J 'I*"LANAGA1\I,I *l* A. J. BROWN.

